Dual pressure pumping system



April 5 1943- R. RHODA DAL PRESSURE PUMPING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 27, 1942 l [NVE/v TOR r Qc;

TTOENE-Y DUAL PRESSURE PUlVIPING SYSTEM Ralph Rhoda, Berkeley, Calif.,

assig-nor to Berkeley Pump Corporation, Berkeley, a corporation oi California Application January 27, 1942, Serial No. 428,353

'f 15 Claims.

This invention, a dual-pressure pumping system, is designed to deliver water constantly at low pressure while simultaneously maintaining a predetermined pressure in a pressure container. The system is adaptable to either deep-well or shallow well pumping without change in the structure of the pump and is convertible to either all low-pressure or to all high-pressure pumping at will, and for deep-well pumping can be installed to pump from a greater depth than has heretofore been thought possible with iet systems operating under the same power input. The objects and advantages oi the invention are:

First; to provide a pump which is adaptable to either deep-well or shallow-weil pumping.

Second; to provide a pumping system in which a high-pressure pump is utilized solely :tor operating a jet ln the pump line for boosting the lift to a maximum, thereby creating the highest degree of effectiveness and efficiency and making possible the pumping of water from deeper wells than has heretofore been considered possible with jet systems with the same power input.

Third; to provide a pump which delivers a com,- paratively large volume of water at low pressure while simultaneously maintaining a high-pressure supply at constant pressure.

Fourth; to provide a pump as outlined which when associated with a shallow Well will deliver substantially capacity volume of water at low pressure while simultaneously maintaining constant the pressure in a high-pressure supply.

Fifth; to provide a pump as outlined which, irrespective of whether the pump is pumping from a deep well or from a shallow well, will provide a constant delivery of water at low pressure and simultaneously automatically replenish and maintain a predetermined pressure in a high pressure supply.

Sixth; to provide a pump as outlined which in connection with shallow-Well pumping can be converted to all low-pressure or all high pressure pumping at maximum volume at will.

In describing the invention reference will be made to the accompanying drawing in which the figure is a vertical sectional elevation through the pump as installed for deep-well pumping and I for provision of both low-pressure and highpressure supplies of water.

The invention'includes a pump base iii in which is formed the high-pressure pump housing l i, the high-pressure discharge chamber l2, the highpressure discharge outlet i3, the deep-well jet outlet i4, 'the cover l5 of the lowpressure pump housing7 and the lowpressure discharge passage i6.

The low-pressure pump housing il is attached to the undersuriace lu of the top plate Iii of the base and is associated with the cover l5 to comn plete the low-prcssure pump housing, and in cludes a low-pressure discharge passage 2c which is in communication with the passage IB in the pump base. An axial bore is hushed as indicated at 2l and terminates at its lower end in a pipe tap or other suitable securing means for supporting the pump line 22 as indicated at 23. A highpressure passage 24 is also formed in the housing il' and communicates at its upper end with the passage i4 in the base, and at its other end terminates in a jet connection 25 for coupling and supporting the booster line 26.

The motor pedestal 2l has the low-pressure discharge and high-pressure priming and delivery chamber 28 formed therein and which has an open outlet 28 at or near its upper end for delivery of water for irrigation and similar purposes, and a lateral branch 30 which functions as the intake passage for the high-pressure pump. The cover for this high-pressure pump is formed in the foot member 3l of this motor pedestal as 1ndicated at 32, a suitable axial bore 33 being provided in this cover member. A suitable packing gland 34 is provided for the. drive shaft 35 on the lower end of which the high-pressure impeller 36 and low-pressure impeller 3l are mounted. The low-pressure pump housing Il, pump base iii and motor pedestal 21 are secured together by suitable means such as by bolts as indicated at 38.

For shallow wells the pump line 22 with foot valve 3S alone are used, the threaded passage 25 being plugged.

For deep wells, the jet 4U is interposed between the pump and the foot valve as illustrated, the booster pipe 4| forming the communicating connection between the jet 40 and the high-pressure discharge chamber 24. f

When no high-pressure water is desired the high-pressure passage I3 may be plugged or a suitable valve may be supplied for the high-pressure discharge line 42 to displace the valve A43, hinder which conditions all of the Water whiclis delivered by the low-pressure impeller 3l will be delivered through the outlet 29 or low-pressure discharge line 44 in the case oi shallow-well pumping, and all in excess of the demand of the jet 40 in the case of deep-well pumping. If at any time high pressure is desired, a high-pressure supply can be obtained by merely opening the high-pressure discharge outlet I3 or line 42.

If only water at high pressure is desired the low-pressure outlet 29 can be plugged under which conditions all of the water pumped will be delivered through the high-pressure outlet I3 in the case of shallow-well pumping, and all in excess oi the demand of the jet 4U in the case of deep-well pumping.

For standard operation involving constant lowpressure flow and high-pressure demand the pressure tank 46' is omitted and the low-pressure outlet is left open and the high-pressure outlet i3 is connected to a high-pressure line or to a reservoir or pressure tank 46 with interposed control valve 43. The motor, not shown, vmay be controlled by any of the Various devices which are well known in the art, to be controlled manually, by the pressure in the tank, or by both manual and pressure control, the latter being the more practical and desirable. With such a dual control the pump can be operated to provide lowpressure flow at will while the pressure control would control the pressure in the tank when there was no low-pressure demand. Y

In connection with shallow-well pumping the operation is as follows: The shaft 35 drives both mpellers simultaneously. The low-pressure impeller lifts the water and delivers it through the passage 20, I6 to the chamber 28 coincidentally ilooding the lateral chamber 30. If there is no demand for or acceptance of high-pressure water. the high-pressure impeller merely operates in a static head and -all of the water delivered by the low-pressure impeller is delivered through the low-pressure outlet 29. If the pressure in the tank 48 drops below its normal, part of the water in the low-pressure discharge chamber 28 is taken through the intake 41 of the high-pressure impeller and delivered to the tank until the pressure in the tank reaches its predetermined normal value. Thus the pressure in the tank is automatically replenished and maintained at a substantially precise value. Any withdrawal of water from the tank will be accompanied by an im-v mediate supply from the high-pressure impeller while a lownpressure supply is constantly delivered through the outlet 29. v

In connection with deep-well pumping the operation is as follows: Th low-pressure impeller delivers water at low pressure to the discharge chamber 28 and simultaneously to the lateral branch 30 which is kept flooded. A portion of this water is taken through the intake 41 oi' the high-pressure ixnpeller and discharged into the high-pressure discharge chamber l2, the rest oi the 'water being delivered through the low-pressure outlet 29. The water in discharge chamber I2 is all delivered through the booster line 4I to the jet 40 when there is no demand or acceptance by the tank 4B, thus boosting the lift of the water from the well or source. The amount delivered by the high-pressure impeller is automatically 'controlled by the acceptance of the jet. When there is a demand by the tank, a portion of the water which is delivered to the high-pressure chamber I2 is delivered through the high-pressure outlet i3 to the tank and the rest is delivered to the jet 4U. Under such conditions` delivery oi a low-pressure supply through the outlet 23, and e, high-pressure supply through the outlet i3 and to the jet 40 is simultaneous.. the relative proportions being delivered to the tank and tothe jet being automatically compensated because excessive delivery to the tank would resuit in a drop in delivery to the jet. Such excess delivery cannot take place because a drop in pressure would be immediately compensated by an immediate drop in delivery to the tank. The deliveries to tank and jet are thus automatically balanced, provided a reasonable pressure exists Within the tank, or that a restriction or a Acontrol valve or similar control 43 is provided in the high-pressure outlet to be effective under conditions of ineffective tank pressure.

The most desirable arrangement of the impellers is illustrated though the high-pressure im Vlow-pressure discharge 29.

peller could be inverted so as to have its intake below. This obviously would require vertical spacing so that an intake chamber could be formed between the two housings. It will be noted that the top wall 48 of the lateral intake chamber 30 is located well below the bottom of' the low-pressure outlet thereby keeping this lateral chamber flooded at all tin/ies, and 'that any air discharged by the low-pgsure impeller will escape directly into the up part of the lowpressure chamber and escape through the lowpressure outlet, the high-pressure intake being thereby isolated from such air to prevent airlocking of either pump. This direct riddance of air discharged by the low-pressure pump is merely incidental to the specific combination and is old and well-known in the art and is introduced for the specific purpose of increasing the allaround efficiency of the unit, and not as an individually protectable feature. Obviously, instead of the speciiic relation of the top wall 48 and the bottom ,ofv the outlet, a riser or a tank 46 could be connected to the low-pressure outlet as shown with consequent accomplishment of the same result. For standard installations, a pressure gauge, not shown, is mounted on the pipe 49, and the conventional pressure switch is mounted on the pipe 50.

The most outstanding advantage of this pump and method of pumping existsv in the fact that the pump can be installed for, and will pump water from a greater depth than any existent jet systemjof equal power input, and beyond any depth heretofore considered possible with unitary centrifugal Jet systems, and also in the fact that the pump can be installed and operated selectively i'or high or for low-pressure pumping, for

high-pressure and low-pressure pumping, high Y pressure and low-pressure pumping in conjunction with jet operation for deep wells, and, extreme deep-well pumping in conjunction with low-pressure delivery-low pressurebeing meant to include absolute pressures of one to three atl mospheres.

For extreme deep-'well pumping, the pressure tank 4l is omitted and the opening i3 plugged, and in its stead the tank 48 is connected to the Obviously the same result would accrue even if the tank 46 was connected as shown provided no water was withdrawn from it. The well connection is as illustrated and the operation is as followsz'Shaft 35 drives both impellers.' Tank 48' is in direct communication with the chamber 28 and keeps both pumps primed. Water is discharged by the lowpressure impeller to the chamber 28 and part of this water is delivered to the tank 46 when there is any demand, and the rest is taken by the highpressure impeller and discharged at maximum pressure backed by the pressure in the tank 46', into the high-pressure discharge chamber i2 and thence passes down through the booster line 26 to the jet 40 where the injective force boosts the lift from the source 4| to the low-pressure pump. Thus the high-pressure pump has only one function, that of operating the injector or booster jet, and the tank 4I is supplied and maintained at constant pressure solely through the agency of the low-pressure pump. Obviously,with no other function to perform the high-pressure pump will operate the jet at maximum efilciency With the minimum of power input, and therefore will make certain the constant delivery of water from abnormally deep wells, beyond the range of normally-operated iet systems.

Another modification applicable to both shallow and deep wells, anticipates a pressure tank connected to each outlet, with different pressures by 6 and 116.

I claim:

l. A dual-pressure pumping system, in combination, a pressure tank, a low-pressure pump having an intake including a pump line in ccmmunication with a source of water and having a discharge, a high-pressure pump having an ntake, and having a discharge in communication with said pressure tank, a priming chamber in communication with the discharge of said lowpressure pump, a low-pressure outlet for said priming chamber, and a chamber communicating between said priming chamber and the intake of said high-pressure pump, and a, jet Within said pump line and in communication with the discharge of said high-pressure pump, said lowpressure outlet being open whereby water is delivered simultaneously at two different pressures and the water delivered at the higher of the two pressures is delivered to said pressure tank in aclift of iiuid from said source to said low-pressure pumping means; whereby fluid is delivered simultaneously under two diierent pressures, respecj tively at atmosphere and to a high-pressure demand. with the high-pressure demand delivered to a high-pressure delivery line in conformity with requirements t0 maintain a predetermined pressure and with the remainder of the highpressure fluid available for boosting the lift of the fluid from the source to the low-pressure pumping means; the communication between said intake and said source of iluid comprising a pump line having a foot valve, and a booster line including a jet within said pump line in communication with said high-pressure chamber pump line in communication with the intake of cordance with requirements to maintain a predetermined pressure and with the rest of the water at the higher pressure available for delivery through said jet for boosting the lift of the Water from the source.

2. A dual-pressure pumping system, in combination; low-pressure pumping means having an intake in communication with a source of fluid; a superposed chamber receiving the discharge from said low-pressure pumping means and having a low-pressure outlet; high-pressure pumping means having its intake in communication with said chamber and in a plane below said low-pressure outlet whereby a priming chamber is formed for said high-pressure pumping means; a highpressure chamber for receiving the discharge from said high-pressure pumping means and having a high-pressure outlet and a jet connection for delivering high-pressure fluid for boosting the lift of fluid from said source to said low-pressure pumping means; whereby fluid is delivered simultaneously under two different pressures, respectively at atmosphere and to a high-pressure demand, with the high-pressure demand delivered to a high-pressure delivery line in conformity with requirements to maintain a predetermined pressure and with the remainder of the highpressure fluid available for boosting the lift of the fluid from the source to the low-pressure pumping means, said low-pressure pumping means and said high-pressure pumping means each including a housing and an impeller and a common shaft for supporting and driving both of said impellers, said jet connection including a iet within said pump line and in communication with said high-pressure discharge chamber.

3. A dual-pressure pumping system, in combination; low-pressure pumping means having an intake in communication with a source of iTuid; a superposed chamber receiving the discharge from said low-pressure pumping means and having a low-pressure outlet; high-pressure pumping means having its intake in communication with said chamber and in aplane below said 10W-pressure outlet whereby a priming chamber is formed for said high-pressure pumping means; a highpressure chamber for receiving the discharge from said high-pressure pumping means and havfor delivering high-pressure fluid for boosting the said low-pressure pump and having a foot valve ln communication with a source of Water; a lowpressure discharge chamber for receiving the discharge from said low-pressure pump and extending upwardly to a plane above the intake of said high-pressure pump to form a priming and supply chamber therefor and having communication therewith; a normally open outlet for said lowpressure chamber and located in a plane above the intake of said high-pressure pump to cause continuous flooding of said intake to prevent entrance cf air and consequent air-locking of said high-pressure pump, and a discharge outlet for said high-pressure pum-p, for delivery of water under high pressure simultaneously with delivery of water at low pressure through said low-pressure outlet. v,

5. A pumping system as dened in claim 4; a jet connection in communication with the discharge for said high-pressure pump; a jet within said pump line and a communicating connection between said Jet and said jet connection.

6, A pumping system as defined in claim 4; communication between said low-pressure chamber and the intake of said high-pressure pump comprising a lateral Abranch having a top wall in a plane below the bottom of the low-pressure outlet, whereby any air delivered by said lowpressure pump is discharged through the lowpressure outlet, and communication with the intake of said high-pressure pump is confined to the Water in the chamber, thus preventing air locking of the high-pressure system.

7. A pumping system as dened in claim 4; the intake of said high-pressure impeller having its opening at the top to receive its supply of water by direct flow from said low-pressure discharge chamber with communication between said intake and said chamber being limited to that delivered through a lateral branch having a top wall located in a plane below the bottom of the low-pressure outlet, whereby air discharged by the low-pressure pump is eliminated through the low-pressure outlet, and is thus prevented from reaching the intake of the high-pressure pump,

8. A pumping system as delined in claim 4; a pressure container; said high-pressure discharge having a high-pressure outlet in communication with said pressure container; a jet in said pump line, and a second outlet for connection with said jet for boosting the lift of Water between said source and said low-pressure pump.

asiaese 9, A dual-pressure pump comprising; two pump housings in superposed series; a shaft; a high-pressure impeller mounted on said shaft in the upper of said housings and having its intake opening upwardly to receive water by direct flow; a low-pressure impeller mounted on said shaft in the lower oi said housings and having a depending intake and pump-line connectedl to said intake; a chamber laterally located relative to said housings and receiving the discharge from said low-pressure pump and extending upwardly and having a lateral branch in communication with the intake oi said high-pressure pump and having a top wall for said lateral branch; said chamber extending upwardly and having an outlet located` wholly in a plane above said top wall, whereby said lateral branch is maintained iiooded with water and the high-pressure intake is isolated from free air and from air discharged by said low-pressure impeller, and air discharged by said low-pressure impeller is eliminated through said outlet; a high-pressure discharge chamber for said high-pressure pump, and including a high-pressure discharge connection; a jet within said pump line and in communication with. said high-pressure discharge chamber.

it?. a dual-pressure pump comprising; a base having a high-pressure pump housing, a highpressure discharge chamber having a high-pressure outlet, and a low-pressure discharge passage formed therein and having the cover element of a low-pressure pump housing formed in the undersuriace; a low-pressure pump housing mounted on the underside ci said base and associated with said cover element and having a discharge passage communicating between the low-pressure discharge passage in said base and said lowpressure pump housing, and an intake passage opening into said low-pressure pump housing and including coupling means for coupling a pump line theerto; a jet line including' a jet; a jet passage including coupling means for coupling said jet line thereto and opening into said high-pressure discharge chamber; a shaft; a high-pressure impeller mounted in the high-pressure housing on said shaft and a low-pressure impeller mounted in the low-pressure housing on said shaft, with the low-pressure impeller having a dependent intake receptively related to said intake passage, and the high-pressureimpeller having its intake on top; a motor pedestal including the cover element for said high-pressure pump housing and having a low-pressure discharge chamber in direct communication with said lowpressure discharge passage in said base and having an outlet at its upper end and a lateral branch extending to the intake of said high-pressure irnpeller; said lateral branch having a top wall located below the bottom of said outlet to maintain a flooded condition of the high-pressure impeller intake to prevent access of air thereto; air discharged by said low-pressure impeller being eliminated through said outlet.

il. A pumping system for deep-well pumping, in combination; a low-pressure pump having an intake and a discharge; a pump line connected to said intake and having a foot valve in communication with a source of water, and a jet installed in said pump line: a high-pressure pump having an intake and a discharge; a low-pressure discharge chamber in communication with the di" charge of low-pressure pump and having outlet and having communication with the intake of said high-pressure pump; a booster tine connecting the discharge of said high-pressure pump to said jet for delivering all of the water pumped by said high-pressure pump to said jet for maximum eiciency and lift of water from said source.

12. A pumping system as dened in claim 1l; said pumps each including a housing and an impeller and a common shaft'ior driving both of said impellers; said low-pressure chamber having its outlet in a plane above the intake of said highpressure pump and having communication with said intake for said high-pressure pump through a lateral passage having an overhanging wall located in a plane below the bottom of said outlet to isolate said intake from air discharged by the low-pressure pump.

i3. A pumping system as defined in claim l1; a pressure container in communication with said outlet for storage of water under pressure and for creating a ba ck pressure for diversion of a greater proportion of the water at higher pressure to the high-pressure pump to increase the pressure of the water discharged by the high-pressure pump and thus increase the boost of the water4l from the source and consequently increase the depth from which the water can be pumped and maintain the pressure in the tank at the maximum deliverable by the low-pressure pump.

le. A pumping system as defined in claim 11; said pumps each including a housing and an impeller and a common shaft for supporting and driving both of said impellers; a pressure container in communication with said outlet and receiving the remainder of the water from said lowpressure pump in conformity with the demand for maintaining a predetermined pressure in said container and for creating a back pressure for diversion of a greater proportion of the water to the high-pressure pump to increase the pressure and volume of water delivered to said jet for pumping water from abnormal depths with a relative power input.

l5. A. pumping system comprising; a low-pressure pump having an intake and a discharge; a high-pressure pump in superposed relation to said low-pressure pump and having an intake and a discharge; a low-pressure chamber having an outlet and communicating with the discharge of said low-pressure pump and with the intake of said high-pressure pump; a pump line communieating between the intake of said low-pressure pump and a source of water and having a foot valve and a booster jet; a booster line communicating between said booster jet and the discharge of said high-pressure pump for delivering all Water from the discharge of said high-pressure pump to said jet for boosting the lift of the lowpressure pump, and a pressure tank connected to said outlet and receiving all water discharged by said low-pressure pump in excess of that diverted to the intake of the high-pressure pump, the water under pressure in said tank creating a back pressure to cause diversion of an excess of water under increased pressure to said high-pressure pump for increasing the pressure and volume of water delivered by the jet and consequently increasing the eiiiciency of the lift from the source' means for driving said pumps. y

DISCLAIMER 13,315,656-RoZph Rhoda, Berkeley, Ca1f.DUAL PRESSURE PUMPING S'YTEM.

Patent dated Apr. 6, 1943. Dsclameliled June 18, '1946, by the assignee,

Berkeley Pump Company, a partnership; l Hereby enters this disclaimer to claim 11 of said speciction.

[Oficial Gazette October 8, 1946.] 

